NCT Dream’s new album ‘ISTJ’ asks: Why do opposites attract?

Fans of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI), a self-report personality test, will be able to easily catch what the name of K-pop boy group NCT Dream’s upcoming third full-length album, “ISTJ,” means.

“ISTJ” refers to one of the 16 personality types in the test that is greatly popular among young people in South Korea.

The title track features an ENFP-type speaker who boasts of his own way of understanding his ISTJ love interest, a personality type the opposite of his in MBTI, breaking the test’s framework, according to SM Entertainment, the group’s agency.

“I thought the song’s lyrics wondering why he is attracted by and in love with her even though they have opposite personalities are very fresh and fun,” member Renjun said during a press conference held at a Seoul hotel on Monday to promote the album.

When asked why the two specific personality types were chosen out of so many, Mark answered that was because Kenzie, who composed and wrote the lyrics for the hip-hop dance piece, was the ISTJ type herself.

While recording the track, the members tried to imagine themselves as the speaker and its devoted fanbase “NCTzen DREAM” as the ISTJ girl, he added.

In addition to the title song, the album has nine tracks of diverse vibes, including “Broken Melodies,” “Yogurt Shake,” “Blue Wave,” “SOS” and “Like We Just Met.”

All seven members are credited as co-lyricists on the R&B ballad track, “Like We Just Met.”

Mark said the team wanted to show how they have grown through the participation.

“We have grown both as individuals and as a team, so we participated more than any other album to reflect our experiences and growth in this album,” he said. “I think our music has also grown with us as we have gotten older.”

The group, which consists of Mark, Renjun, Jeno, Haechan, Jaemin, Chenle and Jisung, debuted in 2016 as the third subunit of K-pop supergroup NCT with its song “Chewing Gum” and has released hit songs, such as “Glitch Mode,” “Beatbox,” “Hot Source,” “Hello Future” and “We Go Up.”

The unit initially comprised members under the age of 20, but all seven members are now adults.

The third studio album is expected to set a new milestone in the team’s career as it has already secured 4.2 million copies in preorders before its release at 6 p.m.

“We’re grateful to be able to achieve a career high, but I think we are doing well because we are loved. So I think it is important to not forget the reason why we are loved and to try to return it to the fans,” Haechan said.

When asked about the team’s resolution as it marks its seventh anniversary next month, Jisung, the youngest member, said he and his teammates will not forget where they started.

“I think the reason why there is the saying ‘Don’t lose your first resolution’ is because many people lose their passion as time goes by. But we are more passionate and working hard. I think that’s why we’re getting better.”

Jaemin said the team has just begun after all the seven years.